Gibson: Feds Should Look To NY For Healthcare Fix

ICYMI: Rep. Chris Gibson came on CapTon last night to refute claims by his Democratic opponent, Julian Schreibman, that he’s a Tea Party extremist who is out of sync with residents of the newly-drawn (and +1 Democrat) NY-19.

Gibson, a freshman Republican who defeated former Democratic Rep. Scott Murphy in NY-20 two years ago, is a self-described moderate. But Schreibman insists the congressman’s voting record – his yeses on defunding Planned Parenthood and repealing the Affordable Care Act, for example – demonstrate that he actually leans very far to the right.

Gibson sought to explain both of those votes – and others – during our discussion last night, arguing that the Affordable Care Act, recently upheld by the US Supreme Court, is going to increase insurance costs for New Yorkers in the long run and should be replaced by something else.

He said he would like to see the feds adopt some of New York’s approach to health care, which is considerably more permissive – or as Gibson says, “strong” – on things like letting young people stay on their parents’ insurance (the ACA sets the age limit at 26, while New York’s is 29).

Gibson also said young people who work for small businesses and don’t qualify for Medicaid coverage need “options across state lines.”

He noted he’s sponsoring several measures (generally without Senate same-as bills) that would address health care coverage and cost in lieu of the ACA, which he said he would definitely vote to repeal – again – if Mitt Romney wins the White House and keeps his pledge to push for another vote on Congress.

Expect to hear a lot more health care talk as this and other House races heat up across the state.